India to be hub for Covid-19 anti-viral generic drug: Fitch

India will be the largest global hub for COVID-19 antiviral general drug production after the drug controller granted emergency-use authorisation to many pharma companies in the country to manufacture and market generic versions of molnupiravir, Fitch Solutions said.

Increased access to molnupiravir will keep hospitalisations and deaths in India to a manageable level as Omicron infections rise, Fitch Solutions said in a report.

Those granted authorisation by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) include Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Natco Pharma, Viatris, Hetero Drugs and Mankind Pharma.

Lagevrio (Molnupiravir) was developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and it is the first ever oral antiviral drug for the treatment of high-risk adults with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Following the authorisation, Cipla, Sun Pharma, and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories are set to release molnupiravir capsules in the coming weeks, and the rest of the companies will follow. “This will make India the largest global hub for Covid-19 antiviral generic drug productions,” it said.